Memorial Day

I hope on this special day you are doing something to teach your kids about the importance of Memorial Day.  We are going to a parade and then a ceremony where all the local veterans are being honored with a plaque.  In the meantime, I found this poem.  Have a great and safe Memorial Day!

Freedom Is Not Free

- Kelly Strong

I watched the flag pass by one day.
It fluttered in the breeze.
A young Marine saluted it,
and then he stood at ease.
I looked at him in uniform
So young, so tall, so proud,
He'd stand out in any crowd.
I thought how many men like him
Had fallen through the years.
How many died on foreign soil?
How many mothers' tears?
How many pilots' planes shot down?
How many died at sea?
How many foxholes were soldiers' graves?
No, freedom isn't free.

I heard the sound of TAPS one night,
When everything was still
I listened to the bugler play
And felt a sudden chill.
I wondered just how many times
That TAPS had meant "Amen,"
When a flag had draped a coffin
Of a brother or a friend.
I thought of all the children,
Of the mothers and the wives,
Of fathers, sons and husbands
With interrupted lives.
I thought about a graveyard
At the bottom of the sea
Of unmarked graves in Arlington.
No, freedom isn't free.

 

 

Luau and the Beach

The Hippie being buried in the sand.  She was loving it!

The girls were showing off the sand city they spent the morning building.  They were quite proud of it!

Sharing a drink with Nana and my sister!

Nana and the Hippie.

Nana and the Genius.

The Genius just hanging around!  She loves climbing and hanging and swinging!

The Unsinkable ME!

On vacation I have discovered something amazingly wonderful!  Swimming at almost 35 weeks pregnant is AWESOME!  I get in the pool and I feel light and graceful! I can hop! I can dance!  I can JUMP!  But most amazingly....it seems to give me unlimited bouyancy!  Seriously, I timed it and I was able to gently tread water in the 8 foot section for 45 minutes.  I only stopped because I was worried I would be tired later.  It was amazing!  My husband was teasing me and cracking jokes and he said I was UNSINKABLE!  You know, I kinda like it! 

The Beach

It was a long journey but we finally made it to the beach!!!  After the past few weeks, we all needed this time to repax and regroup.  The girls are having a complete BLAST!  The Hippie was 2 the last time we were at the beach and she did not remember the ocean.  It was so fun watching her rediscover it yesterday.  She was in Heaven with unlimited sand for digging =).  Both girls got braver and braver and by the end of the day were going way out in the waves!  They also loved the pool!  They swam and swam.  By 6 p.m. last night they were exhausted.  They ended up going to bed at 7:15 and were asleep by 7:16.  Here are a few pics to enjoy.  In the third picture you will see an Ohio State Ball Cap with a small blip to the right....that is the Genius =).

Saying Good-Bye

Our trip to the beach started a little earlier than expected.  We got the call that my grandma was not doing well and was not expected to make it.  We raced against the clock to be able to see her one last time.  We made it here and we were able to say our good-byes.  She was under the care of Hospice and it was a blessing to see how that wonderful program works!  I never fully understood what they were before.  Yesterday evening I went in and told my grandma we were going to the hotel for the evening and about 1 hour later she slipped peacefully away.  Now she is Heaven and having a blast!  The girls were able to see her and they understand she is dead but they natrually had a lot of questions.  The Genius was worried about her Nana and how Nana would feel.  She also thought that Heaven had a phone and Nana could call her Mommy.  The Hippie was pretty sure that Her great-grandma has no more wrinkles and is enjoying her Heavenly party.  All the family seems to be holding up really well.  Everyone is understandably exhausted.  Tomorrow my husband gets the honor of being a pall-bearer for her.  I am praying it will be a special day with good weather.  Please keep my mom and her brothers in your prayers.

33 Weeks and Counting

33 weeks and 1 day.  I cannot believe that our baby boy is coming so soon!  The Hippie came 2 weeks early, so he could be here in as little as 5 weeks!  I am super excited because I was able to get in with the doctor I wanted and this doctor delivers in the hospital I wanted!   I am very anxious for my first appointment. 
My parents are taking us on vacation to the beach next week.  We are all very excited!  It is so nice to have something to look forward to after all the packing and moving and loading and unloading.  I cannot wait to get some pics of the girls and enjoy one last big thing with them before their brother arrives.  It has been 3 years since we had a true vacation and 3 years since we last saw an ocean!  I am praying for beautiful weather.
As far as today, it is gloomy and rainy.  We were really hoping for some outdoor playtime but looks like we might have to settle for the church gym. 

Settling In

Finally we are here.  The moving truck has been returned and the boxes are all unpacked and neatly organized the boxes are all in the house.  We have beds to sleep on and groceries in the fridge.  It is starting to feel like home.  Today was the icing on the cake though because we got our library cards!  The girls were excited because they got their own library cards.  They were also allowed to go to a smaller desk and check out their OWN books!  The Genius just loved this!  She picked a book about rainforests.  She came home and read THREE chapters in it and was telling us what she learned!   It was so exciting!  I have been waiting for her to want to pick up a book and just dig into it.  She even wanted to sleep with her new book tonight and she was so proud to have new information to share at dinner. 
I am still really tired from the move (and my poor husband is tired too).  I am feeling like I am 33 weeks pregnant....oh wait...I AM 33 weeks pregnant!  Hoping for an appointment later this week with my new doctor!
Have a great evening...I am off to bed.